Men's GIVEAWAY thread- NO REQUESTS ALLOWED! Revised 1/29/13

Offering samples and bottles for free will be allowed here. Let's see if we can do this without asking for sample shipping costs. If someone offers samples and then later receives some, the costs should be a wash. Shipping samples in a small sandwich type baggie and then placing them in a bubble wrap envelope should cost no more than $2.00 U.S. Bottle shipping requests must be for typical shipping costs. Even though the bottles are free please pack them carefully! This should be a fun and conflict free experience. Please do not ask for more than one freebie per month. We do not want "freebie hogs" to ruin the experience for everyone else. Requests are not allowed here, as doing so would be outside the marketplace rules and allowing it would lead to requests from those who do not meet marketplace requirements. Please state to whom you have sent samples. Some reply by PM so no one knows who got them. We want to be able to see if anyone is "hogging" the sample giveaway. Regarding shipping out of one's country- Although some have no problem with this, it is certainly not an obligation. Some must wait on line at an actual post office to do so as opposed to being able to ship domestically from an annex. So let's not disparage those who state CONUS or EU ONLY, for example.

All responses to giveaways should be public so there is no question as to who was first. It may be wise to first post publicly and then follow with a PM with one's address.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Great idea, I'll be happy to offer samples from my small wardrobe for UK users - but before that I'll need to see what empty sample bottles I have so I can say what I can offer. Free postage is fine - it should only cost about 60p ($1) in the UK.

Is it OK to say something like "I can offer 10 assorted samples from my wardrobe - pick one you want and ask me"? or is that too close to the market place prohibition? (As an alternative, would it be better, say, to list something specific and say "I'm offering the following specific samples..."?)

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by kalli

Men only to participate on this thread I am going to guess?

It shouldn't be men-only, IMO, it should just be "men's fragrances" only.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

I would think anyone could participate.

Just as the thread on the female forum leans toward offering fragrances marketed to women (but men who wish to try them are welcome to accept the offers), I would think this thread will be geared toward masculines-- but if women wish to try them, why not?

I think most of us here on BN are not so very rigid about gender categorization of fragrances anyway.

For that matter, if I have leftover men's samples to offer (from my husband's stash), I'll offer them here instead of on the thread on the female forum.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

My husband and I just had a good scrounge. In the interest of de-cluttering, we offer these used samples for free.USA only.

Please choose either batch 1 or batch 2.
I'll look at your wardrobe "to test list", and if I own a perfume that you have on your wardrobe test list, I'll decant a bit to add to the package (as long as I have enough to share.)

Re: Men's sample swap thread

My husband and I just had a good scrounge. In the interest of de-cluttering, we offer these used samples for free.USA only.

Please choose either batch 1 or batch 2.
I'll look at your wardrobe "to test list", and if I own a perfume that you have on your wardrobe test list, I'll decant a bit to add to the package (as long as I have enough to share.)

I'd love to try out Pure Malt. I'm really new to collecting, so I'd really appreciate being able to try something like that before buying it. My collection is something like six bottles now, three of which I rarely use.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

My husband and I just had a good scrounge. In the interest of de-cluttering, we offer these used samples for free.USA only.

Please choose either batch 1 or batch 2.
I'll look at your wardrobe "to test list", and if I own a perfume that you have on your wardrobe test list, I'll decant a bit to add to the package (as long as I have enough to share.)

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Originally Posted by 30 Roses

I would think anyone could participate.

Just as the thread on the female forum leans toward offering fragrances marketed to women (but men who wish to try them are welcome to accept the offers), I would think this thread will be geared toward masculines-- but if women wish to try them, why not?

I think most of us here on BN are not so very rigid about gender categorization of fragrances anyway.

For that matter, if I have leftover men's samples to offer (from my husband's stash), I'll offer them here instead of on the thread on the female forum.

I think 30Roses makes a vailid point gentelemen. Some of the BN ladies might like to sample some more masculine scents or offer samples of their own and should be allowed to participate in our "Free To A Good Home" or whatever you want to call it. I have wanted to try some more femme frags and was welcomed in the ladies forum. Tit for Tat.

My husband and I just had a good scrounge. In the interest of de-cluttering, we offer these used samples for free.USA only.

Please choose either batch 1 or batch 2.
I'll look at your wardrobe "to test list", and if I own a perfume that you have on your wardrobe test list, I'll decant a bit to add to the package (as long as I have enough to share.)

Re: Men's sample swap thread

1. Ladies are of course welcome
2. NO bottles
3. NO requests as stated- that is reserved for the marketplace board with requirements
4. Offering 10 samples but allowing one per person is one's prerogative (obviously more shipping costs)

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Originally Posted by stuigi

1. Ladies are of course welcome
2. NO bottles
3. NO requests as stated- that is reserved for the marketplace board with requirements
4. Offering 10 samples but allowing one per person is one's prerogative (obviously more shipping costs)

Is there a reason why people can't offer bottles they no longer want? Would that just fall into the marketplace area? Cause, to be honest, the 500 posts thing is going to keep some people from being able to unload bottles via BN. As I've said before, it doesn't really apply to me, I'm just curious.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Enforcement of the marketplace rules and requirements has succeeded(with few exceptions as compared to the early years of Basenotes) in protecting members from losing large amounts of money in bottle sales or swaps.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Originally Posted by stuigi

Enforcement of the marketplace rules and requirements has succeeded(with few exceptions as compared to the early years of Basenotes) in protecting members from losing large amounts of money in bottle sales or swaps.

That makes sense, but if it's free, how could someone get screwed out of money? Sure, a bottle may cost an extra dollar to ship versus some samples, but I'm not seeing the overlap between preventing fraud in the marketplace and the lack of bottle gifting in this thread.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Free bottle offers here could easily turn into swap offers. It sets a precedent for doing so outside the marketplace swap board. This is the way the marketplace was set up and there is no reason to change it. PM me if you wish to discuss it further.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

Originally Posted by stuigi

Free bottle offers here could easily turn into swap offers. It sets a precedent for doing so outside the marketplace swap board. This is the way the marketplace was set up and there is no reason to change it. PM me if you wish to discuss it further.

So there are two different rules. One for women and One for men?? They give away whole bottles.

Re: Men's sample swap thread

We girls never have a problem giving away. It's the requesting part that seems to be the turning point. Just offer and then a taker arrives happily. I think it must be if there is any possibility of someone getting unhappy over something wonderfully nice. Swaps are two way and giving is one way only.

Re: Men's sample GIVEAWAY thread

ok- Please see the thread title name change and revised rules in the first post! We will allow free samples and bottles to be given away on the men's board on a trial basis. The thread will be carefully watched. Once again, no requests please.

Re: Men's sample GIVEAWAY thread

How do I distinguish between a sample and a decant? Can I give away decants?

And what if I don't like the person who has requested my samples? Can I wait for someone else to come along?

Can I trade sex for samples?

Whenever generosity of time and fragrance are concerned, heavy regulation must be defined and enforced. Otherwise who knows what chaos will ensue? Next thing you know, I might even split more than one bottle at a time!

Re: Men's sample GIVEAWAY thread

Originally Posted by 30 Roses

Good grief, Brian!

BTW your avatar is a scream!

Satire aside, I've been giving away samples to BN members by the truckload. Does that really need rules, too? Giving things away needs to have rules? I have to say it twice because it's hard to believe.